Wareham Gatemen invade Fenway Park

Saturday

Jul 21, 2012 at 12:01 AMJul 21, 2012 at 9:14 PM

Sure the prices are as high as they’ve ever been and the current product carries as infamous a brand as it ever has (see chicken and beer). But a trip to the historic confines of Fenway Park is still without a doubt, awe-inspiring – especially when it’s your first time.

Adam K. Ellis

Sure the prices are as high as they’ve ever been and the current product carries as infamous a brand as it ever has (see chicken and beer). But a trip to the historic confines of Fenway Park is still without a doubt, awe-inspiring – especially when it’s your first time.

Such a breathtaking occasion was encountered by the Wareham Gatemen Wednesday afternoon as the team traveled up Route 3 into Boston for the Cape Cod Baseball League’s Scout Day. In year’s past, the CCBL gave only its top players a chance to participate in an all-star game at the “lyric little bandbox of a ballpark”, as author John Updike once called it.

But in recent years the powers-that-be decided to provide all 10 CCBL teams with the chance of a lifetime: a three-hour window to showcase their unique individual skill sets with scouts from all 30 Major League Baseball teams present.

For hometown ballplayers such as Tyler Horan (Middleborough) and Matt Walsh (Plymouth) a chance to play in a park they grew up watching on local television was more than enough reason to come play.

“I've got my mom, my dad and my sister here,” Horan said as he autographed some memorabilia for a pair of youngsters behind the first base dugout. “I’ve been in the stadium a few times, but never been on the field having people watch me.”

“I’m excited,” Walsh added as he warmed up his arm in shallow right field. “I mean, how often do you get to come to Fenway and play in front of every Major League team?”

Long-time Wareham Coach Cooper Farris used Walsh as an example of what type of player really had the most to earn from the trip, explaining that a first-year ballplayer from Franklin Pierce (Division II) might not have had as many looks as others.

“We’ve got some guys banged up,” Farris began, “but even so, how can you fault some of these guys for trying to lay everything on the line in front of 30 Major League scouts?”

Not all of the ballplayers shared that type of mentality though, Farris explained.

Looking around the ballpark as the Gatemen took the field, one couldn’t help but see something, or someone, was missing.

“Yeah, we had a few ballplayers stay home because of the injuries but we also had a few who might not need the exposure as much as others,” Farris added.

Most notably listed on the absentee list was Arizona ace Konner Wade, whose recent elite performances as part of a championship Collegiate World Series team put him on the map.

“We’re trying to take it easy on Konner,” the Wareham coach said. “He pitched a lot of innings and he’s been seen plenty by scouts. The book’s already out on him so he doesn’t necessarily need it as much as others.”

As for the Fenway experience? Wade had it last year when his 12 saves and 1.33 ERA were among the best in the league, making him a Cape Cod All-Star and allowing for a trip to Boston to shine among the league’s best at the MLB park.

For Farris though, the day did come at the expense of his top hitter, Horan, who pulled a hamstring.

“I’m a quick healer,” Horan explained leaving the ballpark. “I’ll be sitting on a big bag of ice the rest of the day and hopefully I won’t miss too much time.”

True to his word, he was back in the starting lineup Saturday evening against Orleans, going 2-for-4, cranking his seventh home run of the season.

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